Ostrava Welcomes Swedish Ambassador

The first topic addressed was the possibility of expanding cooperation with Ostrava’s two universities, including student exchange programmes. In this context, His Excellency recalled meeting several fellow Swedes who are currently studying mathematics in Ostrava.

The discussion of potential investment and business projects naturally turned to areas in which both countries have strong expertise, including industry, the automotive and defence sectors, and scientific research. The Swedish delegation was particularly interested to learn that components for offshore oil drilling platforms are already manufactured in Ostrava. Start-ups and innovation hubs were another topic of discussion. Mayor Dohnal believes that Sweden’s highly developed ecosystem of start-ups and innovation hubs could provide valuable inspiration for Ostrava and the wider Moravian-Silesian region.

Both sides also briefly discussed the successful economic transformation of their respective regions. His Excellency pointed to a historical parallel, noting that many Swedish cities underwent similar transformation processes in the 1970s, while Ostrava faced a comparable transformation roughly two decades later. And, of course, no conversation between Swedes and Czechs would be complete without at least a brief discussion of ice hockey.

At the end of the visit, Håkan Jevrell signed the City of Ostrava’s guest book. The Ambassador and his wife then headed to the observation tower of the New City Hall, the highest city hall observation deck in the Czech Republic. His Excellency said he was looking forward to meeting again soon. An opportunity for their next meeting will come later this month at the upcoming NATO Days in Ostrava.